Hemp harvesting and spreading machine



L. HOLLAND-LETZ.

HEMP HARVESTING AND SPREADING MACHINE.

APPLICATloN FILED MAYsl. |911.

l Patented July 26,1921.

3 SHEEI S-SHEET l.

L. HOLLAND-LETZ. HEMP HARYESTING AND SPREADING MACHINE. PPLlcAnoN FILED MMSI. :sin

1,385,917. PatentedJulyZ, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L. HOLLAND-LETZ.

HEMP HARVESTING AND sPaEAmNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYSI 1917. 1,385,917, PatentedJuly 26,1921.

` stalks which are UNITED STATES L'UD HOLLAND-LEITZ, 0F OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR,

PATENT OFFICE.

BY MESNE Assieirivinnrs IIEMP HARVESTING AND SPREADING- MACHIN the hemp be process may take in order that the retting place and the hemp may be uniformly retted readily broken in in such a manner as to be the hemp brakes to prepare the fiber for the market.4 lt is also essential that the -hemp be delivered with the` stalks in parallel rela tion in order that the same may be gathered easily after being retted and be conveyed to the hemp brakes.

In gathering hemp stalks either by hand or by machine, the butts of the stalks, are lifted i'irst, since the butts are much heavier than the heads and the stalk is most easily manipulated by lifting it butt first. It is well known that the length of the various stalks of hemp in a single field varies greatly and it is not uncommon to have stalks ranging from two or three to twelve or iii''teen feet in length, in a single field. As the cutter employed in the harvesting and spreading machines is usually seven or eight feet in length, it is obvious that certain of the stalksin any one row will overlap the stalks in the adjacent row after the hemp has been lspread on the field, and in View of the fact that it is necessary for eliicient gathering to lift the stalkshutt lirst, it is equally neces,- sary that the top layero hemp, that is, the hemp in the last row spreadon the field, shall have the butts projecting beyond the overlapped by this top layer in order that` the butts may be engaged by the lifting mechanism. By following through the operation of a hemp harvester and spreader in the field, it willbe seen that in order to haveY the heads of the hemp in each row overlap the butts in the adjacent row thereby leaving the butts of the last row spread projecting 'between the stalks of the next adjacent row, it is necessary that the hemp be deposited on the lield from the 1917. serial iva-172,065.

Specification of Letters Patent. i Patented` July 26., 1921 Application sied May si, Y

machine with the headsprojeetin inwardl l that is, toward thek cuttingy appftratusl aiiid heads ofthe long stalks in each row overlapping the butts of cent row. v

With this object in view, my inventionA consists .in a machine, for cutting, elevating, conveying and delivering the L field in a uniform layer and Withthe stalks in parallel relation and with the, projecting heads of the long stalks in each row overlapping the buttsof the stalks in row.

trated in the-.accompanying drawings, and in these drawings` Figure l is a top plan view of my ha`r' vester and spreader;

F 2 is a sideelevationof thevinachine;`

Fig. 5 is a rearviewon` anenlarged scale. of the gearing for thefelevating conveyers and for the driving pulley for: the` qad rantal conveyer;

Fig. 6 is Van enlarged plan View of the inner portion ofthe quadrantal conveyer showing theV sheaves or pulleys; and- Fig. A'' is a detail view taken on line 7--7` of Fig.- l. n

The cutting and elevating mechanism of my machine is substantially the same. as that of the ordinary grain'harvester and pv isi deposited butts of each1 heads, of the;` adjacent. leavev the butts, of* they spread, projecting be` ina uni-f` form layer in the eld' with the stalks; in'` parallel` relation and with` the projecting' the stalksin the afdja-` the adj acent.

One embodiment ofliny invention is illus-l.

.inner'edge of the conveyer in bearing relation with respect to theV bearing hemp to the? pulleysffor the inner` comprises the usual platform' frame 10` i l supported on a wheel 11, and bull wheelf`12vv and carrying at its frontend the usual re,-

ciprocating cutting apparatus 1,3'.` This4 and frame is also provided with dividers 14 shaft 24: and intermeshinggears 24', 25 and i 26 carried by shafts V24, 27 and 28. The

isprovided with a laterally 4eX- drum 26 for nsupporting and guidchain 19.'- The shaft 28'` carries the gear 26 tending in gy `the if Y upperroller ofthe roller conveyerV 21 and constitutes the driving rollerfor'this conrear ends ofthe hemp stalks 1 The `harvester-is also provided with usual 4reel supporting' bracket 31 which car-V veyer. l

.The harvester frame vsupports at itsfront end" .the usual elevator `plate 29-and at its reary end, in conjunction with an Vextension 30 of the platform frame,

This plate 30 supof chain 19y and the after they are thecutting apparatus and as they 21 and supporting plate 30. ports the upward run cut by are being `elevated bythe conveyers 22y and 'lugs19 on chain 19 to the upperV platform hereinafter describe 1 the ries ia lower reel frame 32, to which is pivoted an upper reel frame 33 carrying the reel Vshaftf34, to which are attached the reel arms'35. These arms 35support cross arms 36, which in turn carry webs or wings 37 formed ofy canvas 'orother suitable material. The front end of the shaft 28 carries'a gear 38 ,connected yby 'means of idlers '39 and 40 with a gear 41 carried by aV shaft 42,"which vcarries the upper drivingroller 43 for the outerelevating conveyer 22. The front end of shaftv 27 is 4connected by suitable gearing 4in the usual manner to kthe i' drive shaft 44, which in v means of which the reel may turn is connected by drivingchains 45Vand46 `to the vreel shaft 34. The lower andvupper reel frames 32 "and33 are connected by means of rods 47and- 48 to adjusting levers 49 and50, by Y Y be elevated and shiftedfore and aftof the machine in the usual manner. i Y

After'the hemp which has been out isy conveyed by the platform conveyer16fand [elevated by the conveyers 21 and 22, itis deposited on an arcuate delivery platform 51 supported by suitable braces 52 carried bythe platform frame 10 and supporting the platform in a manner'hereinafter described. This delivery platform in turn supports the louter edge portionKY of the quadrantal dehveryyconveyer 53 carried by driving rollers 54 and'55. The

i v supports an upf` '-wardly and laterally extending sheet metal conveyer is preferably formed of canvas and carries radial slats 56 preferably made of wood and provided with upstanding me-` tallic lugs 57 which assist in maintaining the hemp in proper relation and in a uniform layer and in Vfeeding the same forwardly for delivery chine, The conical roller 54 is driven by means of a chain 58 connected with a sprocket wheel 59 carried by the shaft 24 being driven vby connections hereinafter described. y

The elevator plate 29 carries a rearwardly and longitudinally extending metallic strip' at its inner end or bar 60 which supports 61. These rods a series of concentric rods 61 attheirgforward ends extend over and' below the delivery conveyer53 and' roller The rods normally rest of their own weight on the conveyer 53,l which in turn is supported by the delivery platform 51. The purpose of these'l rods `is to press the hemp downwardly on the, conveyer 53, thereby maintaining the same in a uniform layer between the' lugs 57 and insuring the delivery from thefront of the platform and veyer 53. The arcuate rods also prevent the hemp from being thrown outward by centrifugal force.

The supporting bar 60 also carries a shield 62 against which the inner ends ofl the stalks abut as they are being conveyed around the quadrantal platform -prior to their delivery. The inner ends of the slats 56 of the upper and lower laps of theconveyer 53 have vtheir end thrust taken up by the sheaves or pulleys 63 carried by a ven tical shaft 64 supported on'the bracket 65 bolted to the main frame of the harvester. 1t will be seen that as the conveyer revolves around the rollers 54 and 55, the slats of the upper and lower laps will .be thrust against the bearing sheaves or pulleys 63, which will be rotated by the conveyer and will form a` bearing for taking up the end thrust of the conveyer. The bracket 65 also carriesradialbrace bars 66, which in turn carryznear their outerends an angle brace 67,the curvature of which conformsv to` an arc drawn with shaft 64-as a'center.. The opposite ends ofthe bar 67 carry Vjournal brackets 68 for the outer ends of :the shafts ofthe conical'rollers 54 and Y Secured to the strips 66 are a plurality of blocks 69 which carry on their upper surfaces supporting bars 70 for the apron or delivery conveyer 53. The outer portion of the conveyer 53 is supported, as shown in Fig. 1, by the arcuate platform 51 and the inner portion of the conveyer is carried and supported by the cross bars 70. .1n the operation of the device, the hemp is the shaft 24,

of the stalks 1n a parallel relation the conat the front of the ma` 55, are curved outwardlybeyond the periph- Y ery of said roller and arev connected by a kstrip 61.

vated bytheI elevating `conveyer-'S21 and 22 to the upper platform 5l, anddelivered4 to the conveyer 58. The butts of the hemp, as it is` deposited on the delivery conveyer, abut against the shield .62, the outer ends o-f the hemp resting on the portion of the platform.l

5l extending beyond the conveyer 53. As fast as the hemp reaches theiconveyer` 53',t it is brought into contact with the upstanding lugs 57` carriedfby; theslatso'n the conveyer and is carried around the quadrantal platform, being maintained in a uniform layer, with the stalks disposed radially, by the pressure of the rods 6l and with the butts converging and the heads diverging. As it reaches the front of the platfrom, it is guided in its downward path by the front ends of these rods and is deposited in parallel rela-k tion upon the eld with the butts disposed inwardly toward the cutting mechanism and standing hemp.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided a machine for cutting and delivering the hemp whereby the same is handled in a simple and eihcient manner and is delivered to the iield in a uniform layer and with the stalks in parallel relation and with the heads 0f the long stalks overlapping the butts of the stalks in the adjacent row, in which relation they can be easily gathered and conveyed to the hemp brakes after the retting process has been completed.

lVhile I have in the above specification described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that various modifications may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed by the following claims.

What I claim as new is:

l. In a hemp harvester and spreader, means for cutting, conveying and spreading the hemp on the ground with the stalks parallel to each other and transverse to the line of draft, the stalk engaging surfaces of said conveying means being substantially flat, and means for compressing the hemp as it is being conveyed to insure a uniform spreading of the same, said means comprising a plurality of curved rods, the free ends of which are connected together.'

2. In a hemp harvester and spreader including cutting and conveying mechanism, means for delivering the hemp at the front of the harvester and means cooperating with said delivering means for compressing the hemp as said hemp is being conveyed and insuring a uniform spreading of the same.

3. In a hemp harvester including cutting and conveying mechanism, means including a quadrantal conveyer for the hemp-engaging surface of said quadrantal conveyer being substantially fiat, and

delivering hemp, l

rodscoperating with saidt quadrantal conveyerywhereby the free ends of said rod may vrise and fallL `for compressing the hempfand maintaining the same in a uniform layer.`

4.. In a` hemp harvester including cutting and 'conveyingv mechanism, means includingY a quadrantalconveyer for deliveringhemp at the front of the lharvesten'and.Compressnism, a platform conveyer receiving the hemp from said cutting mechanism, a quadrantal delivery conveyer receiving the hemp from said platform conveyerand having a substantially fiat hemp engaging Y surface, and a series of concentric rods the free ends of which are connected together and coperate with said conveyer for holding the hemp firmly in place thereon.

6. In a hemp harvester, cutting apparatus, conveyer mechanism receiving the hemp from said cutting apparatus, delivery mechanism cooperating with said conveyer mechanism and operative to deliver the hemp at the front of the machine and transverse to the line of draft, and means coperating with said delivery mechanism to compress the hemp and prevent movement thereof relative to saiddelivery mechanism.

7. In a hemp harvester, cutting mechanism, and means including an endless quad- Vrantal conveyer for positively delivering the retaining the hemp in position on said conveyer as said hemp is being delivered.

9. In a hemp harvester, cutting mechanism, a positively operating conveyer for discharging the hemp from the harvester4 with the butts disposed inwardly, and means coperating with said conveyer for retaining the hemp against displacement with respect to said conveyer before it reaches discharging position, said means defiecting the hemp vertically from the delivery end of said conveyer.

l0. In a hemp harvester, cutting mechanism, a conveyer for discharging the hemp from the harvester, and means extendin around the delivery lap of said conveyer and downwardly beyond the saine for compressing and retaining the same on the conveyer and guiding it as it is discharged.

1l. In a hemp harvester, a frame cutting mechanism carried thereby, and means movable on said frame for positively delivering the'hemp at the front ofthe machine with the `stalks substantially parallel to each other anddsposed transverse to the line' of draft. 12.' In a hemp harvester,V cutting mecha nism, and positively actuated means for deliveringfthewhempat the frontA of the machinevviththe stalks substantially parallel v toeachvotherand disposed'transverse to the line of draft, said deliveringmeans having al substantially lat hemp engaging surface. Y

13.' In `a `hemp harvester'7 cutting mechanism, and endless conveying means for posi- .delivering the cut stalks substantially Y nism5 andendless conveylng means for. posi-V `tively conveying the stalks at the front' of vthe .Y

harvester through a quadrant with the butts'ao converging and the heads divergng. f 1

In testimony whereof I aix my'sgnature. N

LUnHoLLAND-Lnrz- 

